PIPL - Personal Information Protection Law (China)

Official Name

PIPL or (Chinese: 中华人民共和国个人信息保护法; pinyin: Zhōnghuá rénmín gònghéguó gèrén xìnxī bǎohù fǎ) referred to as the Personal Information Protection Law 

Details About the PIPL

The bill has been in effect since November 1, 2021. 

The PIPL generally covers all organizations that process personal information and operate in China.

Some provisions also include jurisdiction over data collection and the processes of organizations outside of China. These apply when:

1. The purpose is to provide products or services to natural persons inside the borders;
2. Analyzing or assessing activities of natural persons inside the borders;
3. Other circumstances provided in laws or administrative regulations.

Consent is a major concern of the PIPL and a key legal basis on which handlers can process personal information.

If there is no other legal basis for processing data, handlers must get consent for data collection and processing, and this consent can be revoked by any individual at any time. Handlers are not allowed to refuse to provide products or services if an individual withholds or withdraws their consent for non-essential processing.

Resources About the PIPL:

• Official legislation here 
• Article on our blog here
• A legal perspective here